Device for dispensing sheet material



Dec. 13, 1955 R. G. BIRR 2,726,824

DEVICE FOR DISPENSING SHEET MATERIAL Filed Sept. 14, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 5dr 610 jjj 9 DBC. 13, R. G. BIRR DEVICE F'OR DISPENSING SHEET MATERIAL Filed Sept. 14, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 13, 1955 R. G. BxRR 2,726,824

DEVICE FOR DISPENSING SHEET MATERIAL Filed Sept. 14, 1951 lig/f.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 13, 1955 R. G. BIRR 2,726,824

DEVICE FOR DISPENSING SHEET MATERIAL Filed sept. 14. 1951 4 sheets-sheet 4 if n', 2f

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EEE f ./Zf' In I/enfaf. i Ei El f Far/012956, Bz'rff iii I i mjy. M ym United States Patent O DEVICE FOR DISPENSING SHEET MATERIAL Rudolph G. Birr, Lombard, Ill., assignor to American Linen Supply Co., Chicago, lll., a corporation of Nevada Application September 14, 1951, Serial No. 246,588

19 Claims. (Cl. 242-553) This invention relates to the art of dispensing sheet material from rolls of the same, and is particularly directed to a device for mounting a supply roll of such material so as to rotate about an upright spindle, and in full sight of the user. The invention is herein applied for the dispensing of toilet paper.

The invention provides for housing a stack of rolls, arranged in end-to-end relation and with their axes vertically disposed. Only the lowermost roll of the stack is exposed to full view for dispensing, and the upper rolls can be successively brought to dispensing position, following the tearing of the empty core of the lowermost roll. The device is loaded from the bottom and the stack is held from falling by means on the lowermost roll cooperating with releasable means on an upright spindle. Each roll is equipped with means adapted to engage the means on the spindle for rotatably mounting the roll.

The invention is valuable for use where a number of dispensers are required, or Where it is desired to reduce the number of servicing operations. The storage capacity of the casings can be varied, to suit requirements. For convenience in illustrating the principles of the invention, a two-roll dispenser has been shown, adapted for dispensing toilet paper in which the length of the sheets are defined by lines of perforations along which the sheets are torn off. Means has also been provided to prevent Waste of paper.

I am aware that supply rolls have heretofore been arranged to rotate about an upright spindle, but insofar as I am aware, no such rolls have ever been supported against downward motion by means on the spindle, cooperating with means on the roll. In other words, the rolls have heretofore been supported by means extraneous to the spindle, as for example, by the bottom of a casing which encloses they supply rolls. Moreover, I believe it new to have the roll from which the material is being withdrawn, exposed to the full view of the user, such exposure being more familiar to the users of toilet paper dispensers in which the supply roll rotates on a horizontal axis and in full view. I also believe it new to provide a device of this kind which can be loaded from the bottom.

The invention also relatesv to. a supply roll per se, having means therein engageable withy complemental means on a spindle to rotatably mount the roll and keep it from falling oi of the spindle, and so that the roll thus mounted can rotatably support a stack of such rolls thereabove in end-to-end relation.

Objects are: to provide a type of roll, as an article of manufacture, so equipped as to be rotatably mountable on any properly equipped upright spindle; to provide means which can be attachedto the roll to so equip it, and to provide methods for forming andy attaching said means; to providemeans on a spindle cooperable with the attached means of the roll for rotatably supportingA theV supply rollY against. downward movement, and to make said. supportingmeans releasable 2,726,824 Patented Dec. 13, 1955 ICC to permit sliding introduction of a supply roll or a plu rality of such rolls upwardly on said spindle.

Features of the invention include: the use of means for frictionally resisting withdrawal of the material in a manner to discourage waste, and the use of paper-tometal friction for that purpose; the use of a follower for applying frictional resistance; and the use of an expandable ring in and as a part adapted to rotatably support the roll. Other features include the use of balls as rotatable means for rotatably supporting a ringequipped roll; the specific means as a unit for controlling the balls to project them or to release them; the use of a key-operable latch in conjunction with the ball control unit; the use of wedging action between the balls and the ring of the supply roll to expand the ring; and the release of the ring for expansion by the tearing of the core.

Objects, features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description of the drawings, and in said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my dispenser, as when loaded and ready for use;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the device of Fig. 1, with parts of the supply rolls broken away to show, among other things, the relation of the weighted follower and brake element to the core of the upper supply roll;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the top closure element, taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 showing the weighted follower in top plan view;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged diametric vertical section showing the means for rotatably supporting a supply roll, with the ball control mechanism locked in ball-projected po sition;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 with the ball control mechanism in ball-release position, as when loading the dispenser from the bottom;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on line 7-7 of Fig. 5 showing the top of the latching unit;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on line 8-8 of Fig. 5, showing the latching plate and its operating means;

Fig. 9 is a natural-size view of the key for releasing the latching mechanism, preparatory to loading the cabinet;

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section, approximately on line 10-10 of Fig. 5, viewing the top of the ball control unit, and roll supporting expansible ring;

Fig. 1l is a detail side elevation of the ball control unit, viewing the latch finger side thereof;

Fig. 12 is a detail vertical section through the back of the casing showing how the dispenser is attached to a wall;

Fig. 13 is a front elevation of the cabinet, with the core of a supply roll exposed, to be torn off by the user, to release an upper supply roll for gravity movement to dispensing position;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a supply roll, as an article of manufacture, equipped for use in the dispenser cf this invention;

Fig. 15 is a face view of a ring-forming strip, slitted and ready for longitudinal bending;

Fig. 16 is a vertical section of the strip of Fig. l5, after bending;

Fig. 17 is a plan View of the element of Fig. 16, after being given the split-ring formation;

Fig. 18 is an elevation of the ring of Fig. 17;

Fig. 19 shows the beginning of the operation for fixing the ring of Fig. 18 in thev core of a supply roll; and Fig. 20 shows the completion ofthe fixing operation, which has expanded the ring and: imbedded' its periphery in the core;

In the drawings (see Figs. l to 4, 12 and: 13), the

Y jects below the casing to a distance substantially equal to the axial length of the roll from which sheet material is to be dispensed. The vertical height of the casing may be sufficient to enclose any preferred number of supply rolls, but only one upper roll is herein shown.

Referring to Fig. 2, the upper rim of the casing 1 is pressed inwardly as at 3, and a nishing cover 4 fits over thecasing 1 as shown. A plate 5 is secured by its flange 6 to the inset rim 3. The plate 5 is centrally depressed as at 7 and this depressed portion has a flanged opening 8,

v traversed by the spindle 2. The spindle has a circum- Referring to Fig. l2, the casing 1 is hung on the wall 15 by a clip 16, passing through an opening 17in the atback of casing 1, and held by a screw 18, to wall. As shown in Fig. 2, the back of the casing also has keyhole slots 19, by which to hang the casing 1 on a wall. The front wall of the casing has two vertical rows of openings 20; which serve as sight openings to determine whether the cabinet needs reloading, and also as ornamentation.

The metal at the bottom rim of the casing 1 is inturned as at 21 to give a smooth iinish and to provide an edge against which the upper. edge of the material of a supply roll 25 can scrape as it is Withdrawn, see Fig. 2. The supply rolls are rotatably supported on the spindle, by means respectively on the spindle and rolls. The bottommost roll of the stack of .rolls is disposed in full view below the casing, from which position material can be pulled oi. The support of the stack of rolls is by the lower-most roll, and the means on the spindle, cooperated only with the means on that lower-most roll, to rotatably support all rolls and keep them from falling oif. Each roll 25 has a ring 26 fixed in its core 28 and this ring Vis adapted to be rotatably supported on balls 27, when the balls are projected beyond the periphery of the spindle, all as more fully set forth hereafter;

.Referring to Figs. 2 and 4, the spindle 2 has, vertically slidable thereon, a weighted follower comprising a plate 29, having a'depending'tubular element 30 having a slightly tapered downwardly convergent conical'outer surface which frictionally engages the interior surfacev of the core 2S of the uppermost roll of the stack. The plate is diagonally disposed as in Fig. 4, and its outer end 31 is engageable with a stop 32 (see Fig. 2) bent'out from the back wall of casing 1, at its bottom. Before the cabinet is loaded the follower plate rests on the stop 32, and it is moved upwardly by the rst supply roll to be introduced into the empty cabinet.

The follower acts to frictionally but lightly oppose vrotation of the stack, this effect being transmitted downwardly to the lowermost roll because of the frictional end-to-end relation of the rolls. The degree of retarding effect is not great, and is designed to prevent waste of material'resultant from an attempt to quickly'withdraw large amounts. When such an attempt is made, the material will tear olf along the lines of perforations which dene the lengths of the material. The arrangement whereby the upper edge of the material of the lowermost roll scrapes against the. bottom edge of the casing during withdrawal serves also to discourage rapid withdrawal of large quantities' of material. frictional retarding means may be used.

The casing constitutes a roll-storage enclosure for a plurality of supply rolls, and the upright spindle is a mount for rotatively supporting the rolls, in super-posed Either or both end-to-end relation, with the bottom-most roll disposed in full view below the casing, from which position material can be withdrawn. This full view position also has the advantage that after the paper has been withdrawn (see Fig. 13), the core is fully exposed for easy tear-ott, by simply inserting the thumb in its bottom and exerting a thumb and foreiinger pinching and twisting action.

Supply roll supporting means Referring to Figs. 5 to l1 inclusive, the means on the spindle for rotatably supporting the bottom-most supply roll against downward movement and in position for dispensing comprises specifically, two balls 27, adapted to be projected beyond the periphery of the spindle and positively but rotatably held inthat position.

The balls 27r areY movable in radial outwardly convergent conical or tapered openings 36,and the degree of tapering of said openings is such as to limit outward movement at positions to rotatably support the ring 26, but not so as to prevent rotation of the balls. Each ring has two circular tracks 37 each providing an interior conical ball-engaging surface 38. Thelower track only, rotatably engages the balls, and its conical inner surface 38 ares outwardly and downwardly to so cooperate with correspondingly slanted arcuate wedgingv or camming surfaces of the balls as to facilitate spreading of thesplit ring 26 when thersame'is drawn downwardly by the torn core, or when pressed from above by the lower end of a supply roll as it moves to dispensing position. 'I'he balls can rotatein their openings because they are loosely and non-bindin'gly, though positively held in ring-supporting positions. In Fig. 5, this looseness has been somewhat exaggerated, but it will be understood that the relations of the balls to'their openings are such that they cannot be detached from said openings by outward motion, nor by inward motion.

Ball `control unit The balls are projected to and held in ring-supporting position by a uniquely constructed axially translatable unit 40 which has thereon a key-releasable latching plate. The frame of the ball control unit is U-shaped and is made from a single piece of metal, by stamping and punching. rIfhis U-shaped structure 40 has a conical base 41 surmounted by two diametrically disposed upright arms 42 adaptedV to be separatedvto facilitate the introduction of the separate elements of the latching mech anism, between them and then moved toward one another to lock said elementsin operative relation.

Each arm 42 has a vertical slot 43. Cross-connecting the slots is channel bar 45, having shoulders 46 (dotted in Fig..11) abutting the inner surfaces of the arms. Passing through .this bar 45 and through openings in the spindle 2 is a pin 47, suitably secured to the spindle. The bar and pin hold the unit against rotation and serve as an upper guide for the unit. VThe unit is slidably guided at the bottom by the circular periphery of the conical base 41, sliding against the interior surface of the spindle 2. The top of each arm 42 has a downwardlyextending slot or notch 48. A plate 50 has notches 51 interlocking with the arm notches 48, to prevent spreading ofthe arms. A spring 52 connects the plate 50 with the bar 45, and acts to automatically -move the ball control unit 40 downwardly to ballsrelease position, following release of a latch plate 53, by means of a key 54. See Figs. 5,

8, 9, in which the key is shown. vThe tops 44 of' the' slots y 43 engage with the bar 45 to limit downward movement of the unit and the automatic entry of the latch finger 55 of the latch plate 53 into Vthe latch socket 56 of the spindle limits upward movement of the unit 40. The latch nger 55 passes outwardly through an opening 57 in one of the arms 42.

lEach arm 42 has a slanting surface 58 inwardly against which the ball 27 falls, as in Fig.V 6, when the unit 40 is moved to its downward limit by the spring 52. When the unit is moved upwardly these surfaces 58 force the annessa' 5 balls 27 to projected positions whereat they are held by the outer surfaces 59 of the arms 42 as in Fig. 5. The balls are 'so held that they can rotate but they cannot 'move from ring-supporting positions.

Referring to Figs. 5 to 8 and 1l. The latch unit coinpri'ses three plates. The bottom plate 62 has upright marginal latch-plate guides 63. The latch plate 53 (see Fig. 8), has the latch nger 55, and a spring-receiving opening 64. It also has a semi=ci`rcular opening 65, of smaller radius, intersecting a substantially semi-circular opening 66 of larger radius, the intersection occurring on a diameter passing through the center of generation of both semi-circles.

The bottom plate 62 has spring receiving opening 67 and has an opening 68 having its center coincident with that of the center of generation of opening 65. In this opening 68 is rotatably fitted (see Fig. 5 a key-operable latch plate release cylinder 70 having a hexagonal key opening 71, and having at its top a semi-circular latch withdrawing plate-like element 72 having shoulders 73, eng-agc'able with shoulders 74 of -the latch plate 53 in a manner to translate the plate when the cylinder 70 is rotated by the key 54. The tops of the latch 4release cyl'- inder 70 and of the element 72 are ush with the top of the latch plate 53.

The top plate 75 has a spring opening 76 and a spring anchoring lug 77 punched upwardly therefrom. This plate is punched to provide a downwardly facing conical socket 78 adapted to be engaged by the upper end of the key 54. A spring 79 is attached by one end as at 80 to the lug 77, and has a downturned portion 81 passing downwardly through the openings 76, 64 and 67, see Fig. 5. Asbest shown in Figs. 7, 8 and l1, the upper and lower plates 75, 62, have long end notches 82, 83, which interlock with short lateral notches 84, 85 of the arms 42 whereby to operatively but releasably secure the latching unit.

The lower end of the latch release cylinder 70 is spacd slightly above the upper end of the conical base 41 of the unit, see Figs. 5 and 6.

'Il'he bottom or base 41 of the ball control unit is of hollow conical configuration, whereby to provide a downwardly ared depression 86 which serves to guide the upward insertion of the latch-releasing key 54, through the hexagonal opening 87 of the base 41 and into opening 71 of the rotatable latch plate shifting element 70. The depression also serves t'o receive the thumb of the service man for pushing the unit upwardly from the release position of Fig. 6 to the locked position of Fig. 5, whereat the latch finger 55 is in the socket 56 of the spindle 2.

Whilel l believe that my bottom-loading device for the purpose herein is unique in the art, I have also invented new specific constructions, among which is the above described ball-control unit made from a single piece of sheet metal and having arms which can be sprung outwardly to receive plate-elements af a latch mechanism, which plates are adapted to be releasably locked in operative positions, when the arms are moved inwardly. I also believe it is new to hold the arms in final position at the top by a bridging element held in place by interlocking notches on the element and on the arms, and to utilize a spring to hold the bridging element in armeloclling position and at the same time have the spring serve to move the unit away from hallprojected position, when the latch mechanism is key-released.

Servicing In servicing the cabinet, the attendant inserts the key 54 as in Fig. 5, and rotates it to release the latch linger 55. The spring 52 then moves the ball control unit downwardly to the position of Fig. 6 to release the balls 27. A first supply roll 25 is then slid onto the spindle 2, t0 the upper position of Fig. 2, moving the follower 29 with it. While holding the first roll against falling, the second supply roll is slid upwardly until its ring 26 is above the balls 27, and held there. The attendant then inserts his thumb in the conical depression 86, and pushes the ball control unit upwardly to the locked nos'i tion of Fig. 5, at which position the balls `a`re projected and positively rotatably held to rotatably support the ring of the lower roll, and the roll or rolls thei'cbov.

The equipped supply r'oll as m article of manufacture My invention involves in addition to the method of mounting the supply roll in full View -fo'r rotation about an upright spindle, Athe provision of a supply roll so equipped as to be held for rotation on an upright spindle against downward motion by means which is releasable by the user after the core is torn. The invention there; fore includesi the method of making the ring; the itself; the method of securing the ring in the core; the method of releasing the ring by tearing and pulling the core; and the treatment of the supply roll to prevent acci; dental unwindng of the material by gravity action.

Method of ring formation Referring to Figs. 15 to 18, a sheet metal strip of suitable dimensions is indicated at 90. The stri'p is formed at the ends as at 91, 92, so that the ends will interfit after ring formation to provide a split-ring. The

strip is slitted as at 93 to facilitate circular formation. The strip is then bent longitudinally along three straight lines, 94, 95, 96, to the form shown in Fig. 16, to pro-A vide a somewhat accordionshaped cross-sectional 'coniiguration.

r"he strip as thus bent provides longer medially located outwardly convergent elements, 947, 98, and the shorter terminal trackeforming elements 37, the inner surfaces of which are adapted to provide the conical ball-engageabl' surfaces 38, previously mentioned, when the strip is given its ring form. The strip is now given that forni as shown in Figs. 17, 18 and 'during this operation the slits 93 open as shown. Later when the ring is com* pressed in the manner shown in Figs. 19, 20 to iiX it in the core, additional opening of the slits occurs, thereby to provide what may be termed a serrated periphery, which serves to more positively fr 'the "ring against rota; tion in relation to th'e core; The circumferential exijansion resultant from the operations of Figs. 19 and 2); of course, fixes the ring in the Core against aitial t'xls'g lation. During expansion of the ring the material of the core enters the open slits 93, and such a tenacious union with the core is obtained as to cause the i'iiig to cling to the torn core and be expanded and witfi= drawn therewith as the user tears and pulls the coi.

Method f r'ng xa'l'oz in lthe core Referring to Figs. 19 and 20, the supply roll with its bore' 28 is placed 'over a cylindrical mandrel or toolv 100. The mandrel has a central recess 101 and an upper circular ring-supporting surface or anvil 102. The ring of Fig. 18 is placed on this surface as shown. A cylir'-y drical tool 103 then moves downwardly to compress and expand the ring 26. The tool 103 has a cylindrical centering projection 104 which lits. and slides in the recess 101 of the mandrel and has an anvil shoulder 105 which engages the upper track element 37. The cour pression of the ring' causes the serrated periphery thereof to be embedded as at 106 in the core. As previosly noted, two tracks 37 are provided, so that no care needs to` be exercised as to which side of the ring is" engaged with the anvil surface 102 of the tool 100. However, only the bottom track 37 rotatively engages the balls 27. Although l have described one of the compression tools as being stationary and one movable, both may be movable. The effect in either case will be the s'inll2 taneous application of ring-expanding piessure from pposite sides and in opposite directions.

Referring to Fig. 14, each roll has' applied` thereto,- either before or after the ring is fixed therein, a dia turn and the turns start at diametrically opposite points ati the end of the cylinder so that the seams of respective turns will not register but will cross and reenforce one another to stiften the core. y

Y Thespiral seam of the outer layer is indicated at 108, and it will be noted that its intersection at 169, with the ends .110 of the cylinder'results in a tapered formation which facilitates upward tearing or disintegration of the core to release the expansible supporting ring 26, therewithin. The ring usually is expanded and released Vduring the act of tearing the core, because a portion of the periphery of the ring is frictionally held in the core by continued embedment of a part of its periphery, Vafter part of the core has been torn away.

Core tear-o1? vAfter all of the sheet material of the lowermost supply roll has been dispensed, leaving the core suspended in full view (see Fig. 13) by its split annulus resting upon the balls, the user applies his thumb and forenger in a pinching and pulling and/or twisting action to the bottom of the core to partially or wholly strip the core from its annulus. If the ring is not removed with the core, the upper supply roll falls and its bottom strikes the split annulus left resting on the balls, and presses it downwardly to result in a wedging action against the balls which causes the annulus to be expanded and released from the balls. The new roll then continues to fall until its annulus rests on the balls and is thus disposed for dispensing,

` AsV above mentioned, the ring is adapted to be expanded and released from the balls, when pressure is appliedfrom above downwardly by the falling upper roll. This maybe called gravity-actuated release. When the lower core has been partly destroyed or weakened suiciently to allow the split annulus to expand, expansion and release from the balls may be accomplished (while the annulus is yet partly imbedded in the core) by downward pull on the core. This may be called pull-actuated release. In my experience the tearing and pulling of the bare core is the action by which release of the annulus is by far most often accomplished. In any event, the split annulus permits release by either method. Ring release for the second roll is accomplished as for the first, and so for. other rolls of a stack of rolls.

While the most practicable scheme is to have the ring split, and to have ring releasable by the user by expanding it, yet I do not wish to be entirely limited to a split ring. i It is believed new to use any kind of ring in a core and to x it therein by compression-expansion action, whether it be split or not split. An unsplit ring could bereleased by releasing the balls by the attendant, if a single roll'dispenser were used instead of a multiple roll dispenser.v Y

-II claimas my invention:

, 1. A device of the class described comprising, an upright tubular spindle having first means projectable beyond its periphery, means for projecting said rst means, a supply roll of sheet material having a core having xed therein an expandable ring,'and said ring being rotatably engaged with said rst means.

.2. A device of thev class described comprising, an upright tubular spindle having first means projectable be- Vyondits periphery, means for projecting said irst means,

a supply roll of sheet material having a core having fixed therein an expandable ring, and said'ring'being rotatably engaged with said iirst means in such manner thatv said yond its periphery, means for projecting said iirst means, Y

and releasably holding the same so projected,a supply roll of sheet materialY having a core having embedded interiorly therein an expandable ring normally held against expansion by the core, and said ring being `rotatably engaged with said irst means in such manner that said first means can act to expand the ring when said ring is forced downwardly.V

Y 4. A device of the class described comprising, an upright-tubular spindle having balls projectable beyondits periphery, means for projecting the balls and releasably holding them so projected, a supply roll of sheet material having a core having embedded interiorly therein a split-ring having a circular track, said ring being normally held against expansion by the core, and said track being rotatably engaged with'said balls in such manner that the balls can actito expand the ring when Vsaid ring is forced downwardly. Y'

5. A supply roll of sheet material wound on a paper core, said core having therein a ring having a peripheral portion fixed by embedment in the core half way between its ends, said ring having tracks projecting from opposite sides and an upright spindle having retractable means projecting from its periphery and engaged by one of said tracks to rotatably support the roll.

6. A supply roll of sheet material Wound on a paper core, said core having therein a split-ring vhaving a pe-` ripheral portion fixed by embedment in the core, said ring having projecting from opposite sides flanges adapted to act as circular tracks for engagement `with means on an upright spindle to rotatably support the roll.

7. In combination, a supply roll of sheet material wound on a paper core, said core having therein a splitring having a peripheral portion xed by embedment in the core, said ring and core being traversed by an upright spindle, having retractable balls in part projecting beyond its periphery and engaged by said ring to rotatably support the roll.

8. A device of the class described, having an upright tubular spindle adapted to support a roll of sheet material, and having balls projectable to be engaged by means on said roll to rotatably support it, and means for controlling said balls including, a frame axially slidable within the spindle and having a base and two diametrically related arms formed and disposed to respectively project and release the balls, said arms having notches, and slots, a latching unit composed of plates having notches releasably interlocked with some of the notches of the arms, a spring-urged latch plate slidable between said plates and having a latch linger engageable with a depression of the spindle to hold the unit in ball-projected position, key-operable means for moving the latch plate from latched position, means traversing said arm slots and said spindle to prevent rotation of said unit, a bridging element having notches engageable with other of said arm notches to releasably secure the arms, and a spring attached to said rotation-preventing means and to said y bridging element to secure the same and to move the unit to ball-release position, the tops of said arm slots serving to limit motion of the unit under action of said spring.

9. A device of the class described, having anv upright tubular spindle adapted to support a roll of sheet material, and having balls projectable to be engaged by means on said roll to rotatably support it, and means for controlling said balls including, a frame axially slidable within the spindle and having downwardly ared hollow conical base having a key opening and having two diametrically related spreadable arms formed and disposed to respectively project and release the balls, said arms having notches, and slots, a latching unit composed of plates having notches releasably interloclied with some of the notches of the arms, a spring-urged latch plate slidable between said plates and having a latch nger engageable with a depression of the spindle to hold the unit in ballprojected position, key-operable means accessible through said base opening for moving the latch plate from latched position, means traversing said arm slots and said spindle to prevent rotation of said unit, a bridging element having notches engageable with other of said arm notches to prevent arm spread, and a spring attached to said rotationpreventing means and to said bridging element to secure the same and to move the unit to ball-release position, the tops of said arm slots serving to limit motion of the unit under action of the spring.

l0. A device of the class described comprising, a casing for housing a supply roll of sheet material, an upright hollow spindle attached only by its upper end to the top of said casing and extending below the casing, a roll of sheet material on the spindle in full view below the casing, means on the roll and on the spindle located intermediately of the ends of each and rotatably supporting the roll against downward motion on the spindle, the means on the spindle being located below the bottom of the casing and said spindle means being projectable beyond the periphery of the spindle, and means for projecting said projectable spindle means and releasably holding the same so projected.

11. A dispensing device for rolls of sheet material comprising, a casing adapted to be attached to a wall and to house a roll of sheet material, an upright hollow spindle iixed only by its upper end and to the top of said casing and extending below the casing, said spindle having means projectable beyond its periphery to rotatably support a roll of sheet material, and means in the spindle for projecting said projectable means and releasably holding the same so projected, said projectable means being located below the casing so that a roll supported thereby can support a roll which is within said casing.

12. In combination with the dispensing device of claim 11, a roll of sheet material having a core having ixed therein means providing two circular tracks, one of which is supported by and rotatably engaged with the projected projectable means.

13. A dispensing device for sheet material in roll form comprising, a structure having means for attaching it to a vertical wall and having a horizontal portion, an upright spindle secured only at its top to said hrizontal portion, a roll of sheet material to be dispensed having a tearable tubular core rotatable on said spindle, said spindle having retractable means projecting beyond its periphery, and said core having fixed therein means engaging said projecting means to rotatably support the roll against downward axial motion, and means for moving said spindle means to projected positions and releasably holding the same thereat, said moving means being accessible from a point below the roll.

14. A dispensing device for sheet material in roll form comprising, a structure having means for attaching it to a vertical wall and having a horizontal portion, an upright tubular spindle secured only at its top to said horizontal portion, a stack of rolls of sheet material on said spindle, each roll having a tearable tubular core rotatable on the spindle, said core having therein means engageable with means on the spindle to rotatably support the roll, said spindle having retractable means projecting beyond its periphery and rotatably engaged only by the core means of the bottom-most roll to rotatably support the stack, and means operable from the bottom of the spindle for moving said spindle means to said projected position and releasably holding the same thereat.

15. A dispensing device for dispensing sheet material in roll form and adapted to be loaded from the bottom and comprising, a closed top, open bottom casing for enclosing at least one r'oll of material, a vertical tubular spindle attached to the top of the casing only by its top and extending below the casing a distance substantially equal to the axial length of a roll, a stack of rolls of sheet material on said spindle each having a tearable tubular core rotatable on the spindle, each core having ixed therein means engageable with means on the spindle to rotatably support the roll, said spindle having retractable means projecting beyond its periphery and rotatably engaged only with the fixed core means of the lowermost roll to support the stack, said spindle having means therein and operable for moving said projecting means to said projecting position and releasably holding the same thereat.

16. A device of the class described, comprising a horizontal support and means by which it can be attached to a vertical wall, a vertical spindle attached only by its upper end to the bottom of said support, a roll of sheet material rotatable on said spindle, an adhesive substance applied to one end of the material of the roll to prevent accidental unwinding of the material by the action of gravity but permitting unwinding of the material by pulling it, and, means on said roll and on said spindle located intermediately of the ends of each and cooperating to rotatably support the roll against axial motion downwardly.

17. A device of the class described comprising, a casing having a closed top and an open bottom, an upright tubular spindle secured by its upper end to said top and projecting below said bottom of said casing, a supply roll of sheet material, support means carried within said supply roll intermediate the ends thereof, and means on said spindle cooperating with said support means within said supply roll to rotatably support said roll and to permit withdrawal of the material on said roll.

18. A device of the class comprising, a support and an upright tubular spindle secured thereto, a stack of cored rolls of sheet material rotatable on said spindle in superposed end-to-eud relation, releasable means carried within the core intermediate the ends of each of said rolls, and releasable means on said spindle positioned to cooperate with said releasable means in the core of the lowermost roll on said spindle to rotatably support thereon said stack of rolls.

19. A device of the class described comprising, a support and an upright tubular spindle secured thereby, a stack of rolls of sheet material rotatable on said spindle in superposed end-to-end relation, releasable means carried within each of said rolls intermediate the ends thereof, retractable balls projecting from said spindle cooperating with said releasable means on the lowermost roll to rotatably support said stack of rolls, and a weighted follower carried by said spindle frictionally engaging the uppermost roll of said stack.

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